Lack of training, absence of tough officers reason for CRPF's failure: EN Rammohan
EN Rammohan, a distinguished IPS officer and former Director General of BSF who was appointed by the Union Home ministry to look into the reasons leading to the massacre of 75 CRPF jawans in Sukma in 2010, is displeased with the way the State and the security forces dealt with the Maoist insurgency. Following are the excerpts of his interview with Manan Kumar:
What are the reasons for repeated failures of CRPF?
Mainly lack of leadership, failure in skill craft tactics and lack of training. The CRPF is not using even common sense while working as a Road Opening Party (ROP). The recent fatalities would not have happened had the CRPF jawans moved as per the laid down standard operating procedures in such situations. The way is to fan out on either side of the road in jungle and create shields to let the road construction work commence, while the others take care of the road ahead. The CRPF men should move taking cover from tree to tree until the whole area is crossed. The CRPF does not seem to have followed it in Sukma.
Where lies the CRPF's fault lines?
My assumption is that they just messed it up by taking a chance as they were doing it repeatedly for several days and went without doing the basic drill of the ROP that is to secure both sides of road in a systematic manner with backup close behind.
What was the main lacunae in 2010 massacre?
About 180 jawans were going and were laundering around in the jungle without laying an ROP. And they were virtually assembled in a circle when the attack took place at night. Many jawans hit the other jawan by his own bullet in the melee. I found out that the CRPF had flouted each rule of the Rule book in that incident.
Why are they taking it so lightly?
It is all the fault of the leadership. This failure simply means that the Company Commander and Battalion Commandant are not tough and disciplined. They are not leading from the front. The failure also lies with the officers of the level of sector Inspector General who don't visit Battalions on regular basis, spend time with the jawans and see their prowess and discipline and training. The officers should take cue from people like former DG K Vijaykumar who used to spend time with jawans.